Heddy's Site: The Chronicle...November 18, 2017

The morning of November 18, 2017 - Lucas and I, Roy and Martha were to meet with Emil and Sui and the wedding coordinator at Abaca Restaurant near Ayala Mall for breakfast. Since the place was kind of classy, I opted to wear my more presentable semi stiletto Naturalizer shoes. Ayala was walking distance from Tom's place, so we took to go on foot. But where exactly was Abaca Restaurant? Roy and Martha took different paths to find it. Lucas was walking slowly and I was my usual self, always in a hurry. As I was walking down a building stairway, in my hurriedness, I failed to see one step down the way, so I stumbled. My semi stiletto heels did not support my heaviness, so I twisted my ankle first and fell. It was a heavy fall, my buttock was hurting but it was superficial. My ankle was sprained but I got up and continued walking. I thought I would be fine but Roy told me to recheck after an hour or so, since he said my Adrenalin rush after the fall must still be working. It actually took about two to three hours before I felt the pain and my right foot started to swell. I could still walk but with a limp. Thankfully I had packed some pain relievers in my medicine bag. After the breakfast meeting with Emil's wedding coordinator and lunch at Tom's place, Lucas and I transferred to Quest Hotel and the children to Marco Polo Hotel. Upon reaching my room, I took a light dose of Arcoxia and rested.

In the afternoon of November 18, 2017, the museum tour was scheduled at 3PM. The meeting place was at Quest Hotel lobby. Roy and Martha came along to help Lucas and me host the affair. The lobby at Quest Hotel was a cheerful meeting place. My guests for the tour began trekking in at different time after three PM. I purposely divided the big group into three sub groups: 1. The Ledesma 2. The Tan/LCT group and 3. Lucas and heddy and guests. There were likewise three vans to shuttle the properly assigned groups. Each van was respectively labeled 1, 2 or 3 with their numbers posted on the windshield to be identified. My daughter Martha was very efficient. She got all the names and cellphone numbers of the van drivers, as well as their van plate numbers for further identifications and instructions. I actually had a paper copy list but I was kind of slow with my mobile and thankfully Martha took over. So Roy and Martha came with us for the tour, while Marion went to fetch her boyfriend Marion Olmillo who was arriving from Manila. Tom and Angel and Luz decided to stay home to clean up and send our used clothes to the laundry mat. Emil and Sue on the other hand were at their abode, waiting for us to visit them after the museum tour. Some guests were disappointingly unable to join due to delayed flights from both Manila and Cotabato such as Marion Olmillo, Ben and Adele Siy, Lucio and Conchita Tan, Ledian Ting and Ivy Tan. My cousin Nelly and her husband Abraham Co however decided at the last minute to join, but separately in their own company bank car. Abraham Co was by the way the president of Asia United Bank and he came in, just in time after his bank meeting.

Meeting my kins at the hotel lobby.

We departed in 3 vans. In Van 1 were Imelda, Jeanette and her grand daughter Kay, Jun and Jean, Helen and her son Bernard, Wilson and Diane, Ollie and Solan. Inside Van 2 were Tina, Apollo and Liezle, Dominic and Carol, their son Calyx and his yaya; Joan and James and their 3 kids, and Jocelyn and Jackie. Van 3 were seated Roy and Martha, Lucas and I. In a separate car were Nelly and Abraham Co.

We got to our museum at around 4 PM. Jesuit House was a museum inside an existing, working hardware bodega. I visited and blogged about it some two years ago. It was the most unique museum I have ever visited, hence I specially chose to tour my visitors there. I was sure they would find this place very interesting. I meant for this tour to be cultural and educational to all concern. So I divided ourselves into two groups with one guide per group. Apparently the tour guide of my kinsmen was better. I could see them getting engrossed except for Imelda and Jeannette who wandered around and about and getting lost. Hahaha. The LCT group though, I reckoned, coming from the same hardware business, related well to the old rusty and musty surroundings. Hahaha. I wonder which of the group enjoyed more?
At the end of our tour, we were brought to the museum library, where we were met by the owner of the museum and hardware himself, Mr. Jimmy See. It was was really very nice and gregarious of him to meet us. Thank you Mr. See.

At the Museum office waiting for my guests to arrive. You could clearly see me in slippers with my right foot swollen. I was very excitable though and animated. The adrenalin rush maybe. Hahaha.

First batch of tourists, my kinsmen. Hahaha.

Martha horsing around. Hehehe.

The second batch of tourists, the Tan's family.

Inside the hardware warehouse is the entrance to the museum.

My relatives were all ears!

Photo opportunity for the Tans. Hahaha.

Walking the museum: the walls made of sea corals, the posts from original molave trunks, the wooden floor planks, old furniture pieces and the Ano 1703 sign on top of the door passage.

Martha horsing around, hehehe.

Mr. Jimmy See the owner meeting us at the museum library.

Photo opportunity with Mr. Jimmy See, Abraham Co and Nelly Co.

To be continued. The day's account is not yet over. Hehehe.

Continuing.........
After the museum tour, Nelly and Abraham and my sisters Imelda and Jeannette left the group to go to Shangrila Hotel to fetch Adele my cousin and her husband Ben Siy, whose flight from Manila was delayed. The remaining groups, upon my suggestion were to visit Emil and Suiling's new bridal room inside the Sarmiento's old Mansion. My purpose was to bring a kind of house warming to the couple. Kind of giving them our best wishes and warm blessings with our presence. Emil and Sue prepared refreshment for us. Lucas, an old male dragon (Chinese zodiac sign) rolled over the bridal bed for good luck and prosperity. Everybody was amazed at how big the area was. I was not able to take a picture of the interior though. We were however able to have a photo opportunity at the Sarmiento's sala.

Emil and Sue at the center with relatives from the Tan and the Ledesma.

After the visit to the Sarmiento's house, we all proceeded to Uno Restaurant, Marco Polo Hotel for a pre-nuptial dinner. That night, Lucas and I were treating the family of Suiling who came from Singapore and Vietnam, as well as our families and guests from Cotabato and Manila to a buffet dinner. The Tan and the Sarmiento families were actually meeting each other for the first time that evening. The pre-nuptial dinner was very lively. I was busy greeting and talking to my guests. But because Lucas and I were busy that night, we were not able to take any pictures from our cameras. Thankfully my sister-in-law Conchita took some. Although not everybody was included in her lenses, yet at least there were some photos to remember by.

I had more than 70 guests. They felt free to choose their seats. Everybody just mingled happily. When everybody else were comfortably seated and eating, I took my seat in front of Helen and had my fill of the evening buffet. Even with my sprained ankle and walking with a limp, I was quite happy that the day's event and the evening affair was a success.